College Days
by norcal-literati
Summary: Rory embarks on her journey at Yale. Her triumphs, struggles, and hopes as she moves away from Stars Hollow.


**College Days**

Part I

Author's Note: I never thought I'd be writing fan fiction, but here I am. I finally succumbed… after secretly toying with the idea in the back of my head for a while. I think it was reading Luce's new piece that inspired me to start writing (Hey Luce… you don't know me, but I'm a huge fan). Anyway, enough of that… I'm starting out with a story that follows Rory as she starts at Yale. 

Chapter Summary: Rory moves into her new room at Yale, says goodbye to Lorelai, and muses on the past and future. 

Disclaimer: I don't own the Gilmore Girls, only my attempts at recreating the show.

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Rory and Lorelai moved slowly down the hallway, struggling under the weight of several bags and boxes. 

"Hey, missy, what do you have in here? Was there really a reason to bring Chilton's _entire _collection to Yale with you? They have books here too. An excellent library, one of the best in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report. Actually, forget the magazine, we have it straight from the mouth of Richard Gilmore. And you know what they say, never doubt the word of a Gilmore. Besides, you should leave something at home, you know, for when you come back on the weekends… "  Lorelai's rambling trailed off into silence.

"Mom," Rory interrupted gently. "Everything's going to be ok."

"Oh, yeah," Lorelai hastily tried to recompose herself. "Of course it is. Hey- look at this! 'Lorelai'—that's me!" she grinned, reading the name tag on one of the bright blue doors.  "Wow, I can't believe Yale was kind enough to give your own mother a room in the dorms. On your floor, no less! Wonders never cease. I wonder if they've got me rooming with some hot Yale boy—can't get enough of those intellectuals, huh? Oh, hey, check out that guy, what do you think of him?" She suggestively raised her eyebrows at a boy wearing glasses down the hall, who immediately looked away and shuffled closer to his parents. 

"Mom, I'm pretty sure they don't allow co-ed rooming here. And you're scaring my future floormates." Rory smiled in spite of herself. 

"No co-ed rooming?" Lorelai feigned exasperation. "Remind me again what we're paying for?"

"A world-class education, Nobel laureates as professors, an awesome journalism program…" Rory listed off.

"You forgot to mention the free cake in the dining hall!" 

"Oh, right, of course. The free cake—a major factor in my decision to come to Yale," Rory deadpanned, turning her key into the lock. She pushed open the door with her free hand, which had suddenly become slightly sweaty. She felt her heart skip a beat as she walked into her room, her home for the next year. 

The room was small, but definitely not claustrophobic by any standards. Half of the room had already been taken over by her roommate, who had a bright flowered bedspread, and pictures and posters up on the wall. 

"Wow," Loreali said, following her into the room. "Looks like someone was really serious about that 5 a.m. move-in time."

"Look, she left me a note," Rory inclined her head toward the desk, putting her box down on the floor.

"Hi Rory… blah blah blah… I'm sightseeing in New Haven with my parents—" Lorelai stopped short, her jaw dropping open. "There's _sightseeing in New Haven? Since when?"_

"She's from California, remember? She's probably just excited to be on the East Coast."

"Oh, right. We have… different trees."

"Mom. Don't be mean."

"Mean? Moi? Never. Look on the bright side—at least she doesn't have any boy-band posters up," Loreali pointed out, surveying the wall. 

"Always a plus," Rory replied. The muffled sound of a cell phone rang through the air. Rory reached into her mom's purse and pulled out her phone. "It's Grandma."

"Oh geez," Lorelai sighed, rolling her eyes. 

"Come on, I mean, you didn't let her come to move in day, and I'm pretty sure she didn't buy your excuse about the limited space in the elevator. At least we can let her know we got here ok."

"Right, because that half an hour drive from Stars Hollow to New Haven is so difficult. Perilous, really…" Rory was still holding out the phone. 

"Hi, Mom," Lorelai said, in her controlled overly-sweet voice that she reserved especially for her mother. 

"Be nice," Rory chided softly, heading back out into the hall to move more of her boxes.

* * * *

That evening, Rory sat at her new desk, still surrounded by half-unpacked boxes. Her mom had finally left, after staying for dinner and loudly complaining about the absence of an overnight program for parents. It was hard to say goodbye to her—even though she'd be seeing Lorelai again in a few short weeks, they both knew inside that things would never be quite the same between them. In a way, though, she felt relieved. Her mom had always been such an enormous part of her life. It was time to start moving on and doing things by herself. She just hoped that she would be able to do that, to make it through each day without seeing Lorelai in the mornings, without coffee from Luke's… Rory sighed and tried to dispel the doubts gathering in her mind. 

She reached into an open box and started to pull out books, unconsciously comforted by their familiar smell and feel. Running her hands over their covers, she randomly opened a novel, flipping haphazardly through the pages. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed some writing in the margins. She looked closer, and felt a sharp pang in her heart. Jess.

For a moment, Rory let her mind wander back several months ago…to their long, wonderful conversations, about anything and everything. To the times where they sat reading in silence, his arm gently draped around her shoulder. To his dark smoldering eyes that smiled only for her. She only needed to look into them to feel assured that everything was always going to be alright. _No! Stop this._ Even as her brain warned her, her emotions were speeding far ahead. She had told him she may have loved him. She lied. She did love him, more than he could ever know, and possibly more than she could herself understand. _He's gone. He left you, she told herself. _

Rory put down the book and moved to the window, trying to collect herself. She looked out across the dark grass, over the tops of buildings and trees, where the sky was setting in deep oranges and purples. She was here for a reason—to learn and grow and try new things… _everything that the brochures on your wall promised, she thought dryly. _Dwelling on Jess and the past isn't going to help you there_. But her mind pulled her in the opposite direction… was she going to be able to fulfill her dreams without the support of her family, her friends… without people she loved? _Without Jess?___ Rory fought against the tears starting to form in her eyes, when the door behind her creaked suddenly. _

"Gilmore. Good, I'm glad I found you. Can you believe the idiot at the front desk? It took him a century to just find a stupid room number… and the whole time I'm standing there, like, this isn't Brandeis, learn the alphabet. So, did you finalize your schedule yet?" 

Without turning around, Rory smiled. Everything was going to be ok. 


End file.
